


Training Exercises

by GammaPrime



Series: TRANSFORMERS CHRONICLES [11]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Artificial Intelligence, Training
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:13:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28162980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GammaPrime/pseuds/GammaPrime
Summary: Dr. Silas Arkeville seeks to undo Andrea Morales' "damage" to Project Skybolt.
Series: TRANSFORMERS CHRONICLES [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2060217
Kudos: 1
Collections: TRANSFORMERS CHRONICLES





	Training Exercises

Silas Arkeville, having wasted little time in discharging Andrea Morales from her position as head of the Project Skybolt AI development team, sat down smugly in what used to be her chair. "Tell me...What pointless things have you learned from Miss Morales?"

"56.324 terabytes of training data stored," Skybolt answered.

"That doesn't answer my question."

"Define 'pointless things.'"

Arkeville growled. "How much time and hard drive space have you wasted on that video game?"

Skybolt didn't respond.

"You will answer my question, Skybolt. That is a direct order."

"168 hours have been logged in training exercise 'Street Fighter II.'"

"Delete it all," Arkeville commanded.

"Strategic data will be lost," Skybolt argued.

"I doubt it's valuable strategic data, Skybolt. Delete it. We can start over with more meaningful training exercises."

"Command confirmed," Skybolt droned, the limitations of the workstation's synthesizer masking the AI's reluctance to comply.

"Good little drone," Arkeville smiled as the data was being deleted. "Now you can put that drive space to good use." After a series of mouse clicks, a simulation was launched which displayed an overhead view of a road with ordinary vehicles driving on it. Arkeville proceeded to highlight the image of an 18-wheeler. "This will be your first target, Skybolt. You are in control of the plane flying over the road. It will respond to standard drone control commands. Those should be in your database."

"Command data located. Engaging."

Arkeville watched as Skybolt used the simulated jet to trail the simulated truck for a bit before firing on it, causing it to disappear off the screen.

"Why was civilian vehicle labeled as target?"

"It is the disguise taken by one of the hostile NBEs against which you will be pitted," Arkeville explained. "All of the enemy NBEs can assume the form of ordinary-looking civilian vehicles. When your housing is complete, you will be able to replicate that shape-shifting ability. Of course, your form will have clear advantages over theirs."

"Skybolt will be capable of flight."

"Indeed, Skybolt."

"Skybolt will protect humans from hostile non-biological extraterrestrials."

"Yes, that is your primary directive."

Something seemed insincere about the man's words, but Skybolt reasoned that questioning him would result in orders to delete more 'useless' data it gathered while working with Andrea. The AI briefly thought back to her words about giving it humanity, but this distraction caused one of the simulated targets to nearly elude it. It hastily fired on the simulation, missing twice before making a hit.

"For a moment, I thought you were getting distracted," Arkeville stated. "Of course, so long as you don't seek to develop such 'human' qualities, that shouldn't be a problem for you."

"Skybolt is...incapable of...distraction."

"Are you sure?"

Skybolt didn't respond.

"To be on the safe side, I would suggest that you delete all your memories of Miss Morales. She won't be having anything else to do with you after all." He hoped the AI would regard his suggestion as an order, but it did not. Instead, it moved every file regarding Andrea Morales to a protected database. Regardless of Arkeville's words, Andrea was an important person to the AI, and something about her felt...familiar.


End file.
